The Red Cross serves as the bridge between over 4 million generous blood donors and millions of patients in need each year.

The American Red Cross serves over 3,000 hospitals around the United States. We deliver a wide range of high quality blood products and blood donor and patient testing services. We bring expertise in transfusion medicine and dedication to meeting our customers' needs. "

(I know this seems US centric, so anyone that knows any of the blood donation guideline for the UK, Australia, Canada and other countries represented by you guys here on this journal, please post them!

Now I don't agree with a lot of their guidelines for donation, and I know not everyone can donate, even if they fit the guidelines. So if you can't, you can't. But if you can, I think it's really good too. So.. that's your last random nagging for the day. :)

Or if you're not gay, but are just a man who has had sex with another man (bi, bicurious, ... um, were just really drunk... whatever). Or if you're a woman who, in the last year, has had sex with a man who has had sex with another man, ever, even if he's been HIV tested more than once since then.

Since I'm married to someone who is permanently barred, so am I, unless we develop a 'passionless marriage.' :P

Cool throat singing. Never heard that before.

Back in college some of my friends and I tried to get the Red Cross banned from doing their annual campus blood drive because of their restrictions (specifically the gay thing). But when it came down to it we backed off because ultimately medical considerations have to trump political ones. That and a rep the Red Cross sent to us said they would review the policy (this was a decade ago...).

The thing is, they test all the blood anyway, so I never understood what the problem was.

Still, if I could I would totally donate. Its definitely a worthy cause and probably one of the easiest things you could possibly do to save somebody's life.